MACHETES, meat cleavers and a samurai sword were among more than 200 knives handed over to cops in the wake of a young mechanic’s stabbing.

A total 210 blades were left at police stations across Anglesey during a two-month knife amnesty, launched after Leon Jones, 21, died near his home in Holyhead in November.

Police said the weapons will now be melted down. Tina Jones, Leon's mother, said: “I am made up people have responded like this.

“It is so good people are listening and that more than 200 weapons are now off the street.

“We need some good to come out of this tragedy. If just one person is saved then it has been worth it.”

District Inspector Nigel Harrison said: “Although knife crime is very low on Anglesey, we know there are public concerns.

“The support from the public has been excellent and I’d like to thank all of those who took advantage of the knife amnesty.

“Every knife we remove from the streets of Anglesey is one less weapon that could potentially be used in crime.”

Dave Hughes, chairman of the Leon Jones Fund, said the total far exceeded his expectations.

“We had about 50 knives at the half-way stage, so I was expecting maybe 100 in total,” he said.

“I am proud to have been involved for the sake of Leon's family. We appreciate we will never fully stop knife crime, but just one person who heeds the message and ‘dumps the knife’ may mean one family does not suffer as poor Leon's family have.”

Sergeant Andy McGregor said Anglesey people were safer after the “excellent” response. “Some of the knives we received do astound you, and I'm happy to see them off the street,” he said. Despite the success of the amnesty, Mr Hughes said he was “devastated” to hear of a recent incident when a 15-year-old was confronted by a man armed with a knife in Holyhead.Next time, it might not be a near miss,” he said.

The campaign will now visit the island’s secondary schools, raising awareness of knife crime.

A memorial plaque to Leon will be installed at Holyhead High School, where he was a pupil. And Trearddur Bay FC will play against Llanerchymedd on Thursday wearing Leon Jones T-shirts. The amnesty ended on April 5, but police will keep up “robust action”.

Scott Whitley, 29, of Tan yr Efail, Holyhead, has denied murdering Leon and is due to stand trial next week.